Walking track · Paris
Islands to Montmartre
Four Paris classics in one northbound line: start on the Île de la Cité at Notre-Dame, pass the Louvre pyramid, stop under the opera house's gilt figures, and finish on the steps of Sacré-Cœur above the rooftops. The route runs about four and a half kilometres through the oldest and most photographed centre of the city, and the climb at the end is optional — the funicular will spare your legs for the view.
- 4 stops
- 4.5 km
- about 3 h 45 min
- on foot
The itinerary
Stop by stop.
Start at the island early when the parvis is quiet; the basilica forecourt is golden at the end of the day.
- 01
Start here
Notre-Dame de Paris
Begin where the city began. Walk the island: twin towers from the parvis on one side, flying buttresses and the spire from the quiet gardens on the other — two different photographs, ten minutes apart.
Plan about 45 min · Visit the Notre-Dame de Paris guide
- 02
+ 1.4 km from the previous stop
Louvre Museum
Follow the river to the pyramid. The courtyard rewards patience — let the geometry support the person in your frame, and keep museum plans separate from the walk itself.
Plan about 45 min · Visit the Louvre Museum guide
- 03
+ 1.2 km from the previous stop
Palais Garnier
The avenue de l'Opéra delivers you beneath the gilt and marble of the opera house. Morning light runs straight down the avenue and fronts the façade evenly.
Plan about 30 min · Visit the Palais Garnier guide
- 04
+ 1.8 km from the previous stop
Sacré-Cœur
Finish with the hill. The steps are a public living room; shoot the full sweep of domes from the curve below, then turn around — all of Paris is the second photograph.
Plan about 45 min · Visit the Sacré-Cœur guide
Place-earned, not photo-matched
Collect every badge on this track.
Unlocked verifies that you are really at each Landmark. Choose Unlock while you are there, and the badge is yours — the photo Memory can wait until you are home.
- 01
Go to the Landmark.
Follow the track above; every stop is a supported place in Paris.
- 02
Choose Unlock.
A current location sample verifies you are inside the Landmark's supported area.
- 03
Finish the track.
Each verified visit earns the Landmark's badge permanently in your Passport.
Before you go
Track questions.
How steep is the walk to Sacré-Cœur?
The hill is the only climb, and it is optional: the Montmartre funicular or the bus covers the rise, and the route through the lanes is gentler than the famous steps in front of the basilica.
Can I visit the interiors along this route?
Yes, and each is separate: the cathedral has its own free reservation system, the opera house runs ticketed self-guided visits that pause on performance days, and the basilica is free. None of them is needed for the Unlocked unlocks.
Why this order of landmarks?
Northbound keeps the afternoon sun behind you at the Louvre and leaves the city's best panorama — the one from Sacré-Cœur — for last, when the light turns warm over the rooftops.